Container bracket arrangement for railway car

ABSTRACT

A railway car readily interchangeable for container and traileron-flat-car operations is provided with a container bracket arrangement having a plurality of slots in the deck of the car which permits container brackets to be longitudinally adjusted to accommodate different length containers carried by the car. The container brackets are movable into nonoperating positions within apertures which extend transversely of the slots when the car is utilized for trailer operation. The brackets are also provided with arms connected at one end with slider elements positioned in the slots and the other ends of the arms are adjustably connected to the container bracket by means of latch elements which permit the container brackets to be adjusted transversely of the slots for accommodating different width containers.

United States Patent [72] Inventors Harold E. Gramse Chicago Heights;Bradford Johnstone, Blue Island, both of Ill. [211 App]. No. 883,059[22] Filed Dec. 8, 1969 [45] Patented Nov. 9, I971 [73] Assignee PullmanIncorporated Chicago, Ill.

[54] CONTAINER BRACKET ARRANGEMENT FOR RAILWAY CAR 9 Claims, 5 DrawingFigs.

[52] [1.5. CI 105/366 D, 105/366 C [51] Int. Cl. B61d 45/00 [50] Fieldof Search 105/366 R, 366 D; 248/1 19 [56] References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS 2,002,439 5/1935 Owens 105/366 D Pulcrane et a1 PrimaryExaminer-Drayton E. Hoffman Attorneys-Hilmond 0. Vogel and Wayne MorrisRussell ABSTRACT: A railway car readily interchangeable for containerand trailer-on-flat-car operations is provided with a container bracketarrangement having a plurality of slots in the deck of the car whichpermits container brackets to be longitudinally adjusted to accommodatedifferent length containers carried by the car. The container bracketsare movable into nonoperating positions within apertures which extendtransversely of the slots when the car is utilized for traileroperation. The brackets are also provided with arms connected at one endwith slider elements positioned in the slots and the other ends of thearms are adjustably connected to the container bracket by means of latchelements which permit the container brackets to be adjusted transverselyof the slots for accommodating different width containers.

PATENTEU NOV 9 I97! SHEET ,1 BF 3 INVENTORS BRADFORD JOHNSTONEPATENTEUnu'v 9am 3618,53 1

SHEET 3 [IF 3 INVENTORS ATT' Y.

CONTAINER BRACKET ARRANGEMENT FOR RAILWAY CAR SUMMARY It is a primeobject of this invention to provide a container bracket arrangementwhich not only will accommodate the support of diflerent lengthcontainers on the deck of a railway flat car but will also be adjustableto a plurality of laterally spaced positions on the deck of the flat carso as to accommodate different width containers carried thereon.

The object of the invention is achieved by a container bracket whichincludes a container support seat adapted to engage the comers of acontainer in supporting relation. The bracket also includes at its lowerbase suitable lug means extending downwardly into transversely spacedapertures provided in the floor of a railway car, whereby the containerbracket may be secured in a plurality of laterally adjusted positions.The bracket further includes arms which project outwardly from thebracket and extend downwardly into connected relation with respect toslide blocks which are disposed in longitudinally extending slots andwhich permit the adjustable movement of the brackets to a plurality oflongitudinally disposed positions for accommodating different lengths ofcontainers. The arms are connected to the container bracket in anadjustable manner by means of latch means carried on the brackets andremovably engageable with said arms so as to permit movement of saidbracket on the railway deck to to a plurality of laterally adjustablepositions to accommodating various width containers which may be carriedby the railway car.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a plan view of one-half of arailway car showing a container bracket arrangement;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view through the deck of a railway car takensubstantially along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view through a railway car taken generallyalong the line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4of FIG. 3; and.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 5-5of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to FIG. 1, a railway flat car is providedwith a flat deck 11, having at opposite ends conventional trailerhitches 12 schematically illustrated. A container bracket arrangement 13supports containers 14 when the car 10 is used for container operations.The railway flat car 10 also comprises at opposite ends bolsterstructures 15 of conventional design.

The flat deck 11 is provided with a plurality of guideways 16 whichextend along opposite edges of the flat deck 11 in a longitudinaldirection. The guideways 16 are disposed adjacent side sills 17 disposedon opposite sides of the railway flat car 10. The guideways 16 are incommunication with a plurality of recesses 17 formed in the flat deck 11as particularly shown in FIG. 1. Applicant's patent applications filedNov. 18, 1968, Ser. No. 774,272, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,575,l 18 issuedApr. 13, 1971, and Apr. 25, I969, Ser. No. 819,370, also show guidewaysor slots provided in the deck with suitable recesses or apertures spacedtherealong longitudinally to provide storage pockets or recesses forcontainer brackets which in the erect position support containers on theflat deck of the car 10. The guideways are formed by channel-shapedstringers 18 and longitudinal slots 19 in the deck 11.

A plurality of container brackets 20, as shown in FIG. 1, are disposedin the container bracket arrangement 13. End of car container brackets20' need not be adjustable longitudinally but include the elements ofthe brackets 20 so that they can be laterally adjusted on the deck 11.Each container bracket 20 comprises a vertical outer wall 21 whichextends generally parallel to an adjacent side sill 17 in the verticaloperative position and also is connected to a vertical end wall 22. Asecondary vertical end wall 23, as best shown in FIG. 2, also isconnected to a horizontal wall 24 forming with the walls 21 and 23 acorner seat for a container. The horizontal wall 24 is provided with asloping wall portion 25 which may serve to guide the corner of acontainer onto the wall or container seat 24. Similarly, guide lugs 26provided on the wall 21 serve as guides for guiding a container intoposition. The container bracket 20 is also provided with an inner wall27 suitably connected to the horizontal wall 24 and sloping wall portion25.

As best shown in FIG. 3, the sloping wall portion 25 is provided at itslower ends with laterally spaced lugs 28 and 29. As indicated in FIGS. 1and 3, the deck 11 is provided with a plurality of longitudinallyextending and laterally disposed positioning recesses 30, specificallythree such rows being provided adjacent each of the guideways 16. In theposition shown in FIG. 3, the lugs 28 and 29, as also shown in FIG. 4,are in engagement with the deck 11 through recesses 30.

As best shown in FIG. 3, the underneath portion of the flat deck 11 isprovided, at each side of the car adjacent the side sill 17, with alongitudinally extending U-shaped channel stringer 31. The stringers 18and 31 are substantially parallel and coextensive. The lug 29 isadjustably disposed within the channel 31 as best shown in FIG. 3. Thesaid channel 31 is disposed directly underneath one row of the recesses30. A spacer 32 is provided along the length of the channel 31 wherevera crossbeam 32 is disposed, said crossbeams 32 being longitudinallyspaced along the length of the car. As best shown in FIG. 2, the wall 22is provided at its lower end with a flange 34 from which a stop member35 projects downwardly into the recess 30 as best shown in FIG. 4. Eachof the lugs 28 and 29 is provided with horizontally extending lipportions or flanges 36 which hook underneath the deck 11 to secure thebracket 20 in the erect position.

Each bracket 20 is adapted to be shifted longitudinally and laterally,the said lateral shifting movement relative to the guideways 16 beingfor the purpose of accommodating different size containers. To achievethis purpose each bracket 20 is provided with a pair of laterallyextending longitudinally spaced arms 37 each of which includes ahorizontally extending rod portion 38. The rod portions 38 are slidablypositioned within bores 39 disposed in horizontal alignment in the walls21 and 27. The rod portions 38 thus are slidable with respect to thebores 39 and are guided therein by means of bosses 40 projectingoutwardly from the wall 27 and include bores 41 aligned with theopenings 39. As best shown in FIG. 3, the rod portion 38 is providedwith a plurality of bores 42 extending in the direction parallel to theguideways 16. The bosses 40 are similarly provided with aligned bores43. Latch pins 44, which are removable, are inserted in the bores 42 and43, as best shown in FIG. 3 to maintain the bracket 20 in the positionshown.

Each of the rod portions 38 are also provided with a downwardly slopingdiagonal portion 45 which is suitably connected as shown in FIG. 2 to alongitudinally extending rod portion 46. As shown in FIG. 2, the rodportion 46 is provided at opposite ends with engaging pins 47 adapted toengage arcuate seats 49 provided in slider blocks 48.

THE OPERATION The brackets 20 may be shifted longitudinally or laterallyto accommodate different length and width containers. To accomplish thisa bracket 20 is moved into position adjacent to an aperture 17' and thebracket is lifted whereupon the lug 35 is disengaged free of one of therecesses 30 and the lugs 28 and 29 may be also removed from the recesses30 so that the container bracket 20 may be shifted longitudinally to aposition to accommodate various length containers. Such shiftingmovement takes place when the bracket 20 is moved with the spaced sliderblocks 48 which are disposed within the channelshaped stringers 18 andadjustment along the length of the guide or slideway 19 is achieved. Thepositioning of the brackets 20 in a longitudinal direction is moreconcisely described in the above-mentioned patent applications,Similarly, the rotation of the brackets 20 into a recessed or nonuseposition wherein the walls 21 form a continuation of the deck structure11 also is more fully described in these applications. The recessedposition is shown in broken lines in FIG. 3.

In the present invention, the container brackets 20 and 20 may also bemoved laterally to accommodate different width containers. While thepresent deck 11 shows three rows of recesses 30 the car may be madewider if desired to accommodate additional recesses depending upon thecontainer widths to be utilized.

In the present instance, three rows of recesses 30 have been shown andthus the container 14 may be moved from the position shown in FIG. 3 toa more outwardly disposed position. To achieve this, the pins 44 areremoved from the bosses at) and the bracket 20 is then free to move tothe left or outwardly as shown in FIG. 3. The pin 44 is then placed intothe second or middle bore 42 and the bracket 20, or bracket 20', is thenin the adjusted position with the lugs 28 and 29 disposed in the twoouter rows of recesses 30. The additional bore 42 shown in the rodportions 38 may be utilized if a wider deck arrangement is utilized.

We claim:

1. A railway car having a flat deck for supporting containers thereonincluding a container support arrangement comprising:

longitudinally extending guideways adjacent each side of said deck,

said deck having a plurality of longitudinally spaced apertures incommunication with each ofsaid guideways,

a plurality of container brackets carried by said deck,

each container bracket having a vertical transverse wall and a verticallongitudinally extending wall providing a seat for supporting the cornerof a container,

longitudinally movable means movably connecting said container bracketsto said guideways for movement to a plurality of longitudinally spacederect operative positions,

said movable means providing for movement of said bracket into saidaperture in a stored nonoperative position whereby one of said walls isdisposed horizontally to provide a continuation of said deck,

a plurality of positioning means on said deck disposed in relativelongitudinally spaced relation on said deck ad jacent said guideways,each positioning means including at least two laterally spacedpositioning units,

adjustable means adjustably connecting each of said brackets to saiddeck relative to each of said guideways for lateral movement of eachbracket to one of the two positioning units to accommodate the supportby said brackets of containers of various widths on said deck,

couple means on each container bracket releasably engageable with one ofsaid positioning units in providing one of two positions for thebrackets,

said longitudinally movable means including a slidable member slidablyguided by said guideway,

said adjustable means comprising an arm connected to said slidablemember and extending transversely thereof, and

releasable means releasably connecting said arm to said bracket formovement of said arm and said bracket thereby transversely of said deckto one of the two positions to couple the bracket couple means with oneof the positioning units.

2. The invention in accordance with claim 1,

said releasable means including a plurality of laterally spacedlongitudinally extending openings on said arm and an opening on saidbracket, and

pin means mounted on said bracket and movable selectively into and outof said arm openings and said bracket opening.

3. The invention in accordance with claim 1,

said bracket having an opening extending laterally relative to saidguideway within which said arm is slidably supported for lateralmovement 4. A railway car having a flat deck for supporting containersthereon including a container support arrangement comprismg;

longitudinally extending guideways adjacent each side of said deck,

said deck having a plurality of longitudinally spaced apertures incommunication with each ofsaid guideways,

a plurality of container brackets carried by said deck,

each container bracket having a vertical transverse wall and a verticallongitudinally extending wall providing a seat for supporting the cornerof a container,

movable means movably connecting said container brackets to saidguideways for movement to a plurality of longitudinally spaced erectoperative positions,

said movable means providing for movement ofsaid bracket into saidaperture in a stored nonoperative position whereby one of said walls isdisposed horizontally to provide a continuation of said deck,

a plurality of positioning means on said deck disposed in relativelongitudinally spaced relation on said deck adjacent said guideways,each positioning means including at least two laterally spacedpositioning units,

means adjustably connecting each of said brackets to said deck relativeto said guideways for lateral movement of each bracket to one of thepositioning units to accommodate the support by said brackets ofcontainers of various widths on said deck,

couple means on each container bracket releasably engageable with one ofsaid positioning units in providing one or two positions for thebracket,

each guideway comprising a slot in said deck,

said movable means connecting said brackets to said guideway including aslider means connected to each of said brackets and being slidablydisposed within said slot for longitudinal movement therealong, and

said means adjustably connecting said bracket to said deck including armmeans extending laterally with respect to said slots and connecting withsaid slider means and providing for guided lateral movement of saidbracket to one of the two positions to couple the bracket couple meanswith one of the positioning units.

5, The invention in accordance with claim 4,

said slider means including a pair of longitudinally spaced guidedmembers slidably disposed in said slots,

said arm means including a pair of longitudinally spaced guide memberstransversely slidably and adjustably connected to said bracket,

a longitudinally extending member connecting said spaced guide members,and

means on opposite ends of said longitudinally extending member connectedto said spaced guided members.

6. In a railroad car having a flat deck for supporting containersthereon including a container support arrangement comprising:

longitudinally extending guideways adjacent each side of the deck,

said deck having a plurality of longitudinally spaced apertures incommunication with each of said guideways,

a plurality of container brackets carried by said deck for supporting acontainer on the floor of a vehicle, each container bracket comprising:thereof for carrying the bracket slidingly longitudinally of the floor,and

means adjustably connecting said connector element to said bracketwhereby the bracket lug means may be moved selectively to one of theplurality of laterally spaced positions on a vehicle floor.

'7. The invention in accordance with claim 6,

said connector element comprising an arm slidably carried on saidbracket, and

said adjustable means comprising a latch element carried by said bracketand movable into and out of latching relation relative to said arm.

8. A railway car having a flat deck for supporting containers thereonincluding a container support arrangement comprismg:

longitudinally extending guideways adjacent each side of said deck,

said deck having a plurality of longitudinally spaced apertures incommunication with each of said guideways,

a plurality of container brackets carried by said deck,

each container bracket having a vertical transverse wall and a verticallongitudinally extending wall providing a seat for supporting the comerof a container,

movable means movably connecting said container brackets to saidguideways for movement to a plurality of longitudinally spaced erectoperative positions,

said movable means providing for movement of said bracket about alongitudinal axis into said aperture in a stored nonoperative positionwhereby one of said walls is disposed horizontally to provide acontinuation of said deck,

a plurality of positioning means on said deck disposed in relativelongitudinally spaced relation on said deck adjacent said guideways,each positioning means including at least two laterally spacedpositioning units,

couple means on each container bracket releasably engageable with one ofsaid positioning units in providing one of two positions for thebracket,

adjustable means adjustably connecting each of said brackets to saiddeck relative to said guideways for lateral movement of each bracket toone of two positions to couple the bracket couple means with one of thepositioning units to accommodate the support by said brackets ofcontainers of various widths on said deck,

the adjustable means connecting with the movable means and cooperatingwith the movable means in providing for a pivotal movement of thebracket about the longitudinal axis between stored and unstoredpositions of the bracket.

9. The invention in accordance with claim 8,

said positioning means including openings in the deck which openings arelaterally spaced from each other and cooperating with the couple meansto adjust the lateral position of the container.

1. A railway car having a flat deck for supporting containers thereonincluding a container support arrangement comprising: longitudinallyextending guideways adjacent each side of said deck, said deck having aplurality of longitudinally spaced apertures in communication with eachof said guideways, a plurality of container brackets carried by saiddeck, each container bracket having a vertical transverse wall and avertical longitudinally extending wall providing a seat for supportingthe corner of a container, longitudinally movable means movablyconnecting said container brackets to said guideways for movement to aplurality of longitudinally spaced erect operative positions, saidmovable means providing for movement of said bracket into said aperturein a stored nonoperative position whereby one of said walls is disposedhorizontally to provide a continuation of said deck, a plurality ofpositioning means on said deck disposed in relative longitudinaLlyspaced relation on said deck adjacent said guideways, each positioningmeans including at least two laterally spaced positioning units,adjustable means adjustably connecting each of said brackets to saiddeck relative to each of said guideways for lateral movement of eachbracket to one of the two positioning units to accommodate the supportby said brackets of containers of various widths on said deck, couplemeans on each container bracket releasably engageable with one of saidpositioning units in providing one of two positions for the brackets,said longitudinally movable means including a slidable member slidablyguided by said guideway, said adjustable means comprising an armconnected to said slidable member and extending transversely thereof,and releasable means releasably connecting said arm to said bracket formovement of said arm and said bracket thereby transversely of said deckto one of the two positions to couple the bracket couple means with oneof the positioning units.
 2. The invention in accordance with claim 1,said releasable means including a plurality of laterally spacedlongitudinally extending openings on said arm and an opening on saidbracket, and pin means mounted on said bracket and movable selectivelyinto and out of said arm openings and said bracket opening.
 3. Theinvention in accordance with claim 1, said bracket having an openingextending laterally relative to said guideway within which said arm isslidably supported for lateral movement.
 4. A railway car having a flatdeck for supporting containers thereon including a container supportarrangement comprising: longitudinally extending guideways adjacent eachside of said deck, said deck having a plurality of longitudinally spacedapertures in communication with each of said guideways, a plurality ofcontainer brackets carried by said deck, each container bracket having avertical transverse wall and a vertical longitudinally extending wallproviding a seat for supporting the corner of a container, movable meansmovably connecting said container brackets to said guideways formovement to a plurality of longitudinally spaced erect operativepositions, said movable means providing for movement of said bracketinto said aperture in a stored nonoperative position whereby one of saidwalls is disposed horizontally to provide a continuation of said deck, aplurality of positioning means on said deck disposed in relativelongitudinally spaced relation on said deck adjacent said guideways,each positioning means including at least two laterally spacedpositioning units, means adjustably connecting each of said brackets tosaid deck relative to said guideways for lateral movement of eachbracket to one of the positioning units to accommodate the support bysaid brackets of containers of various widths on said deck, couple meanson each container bracket releasably engageable with one of saidpositioning units in providing one or two positions for the bracket,each guideway comprising a slot in said deck, said movable meansconnecting said brackets to said guideway including a slider meansconnected to each of said brackets and being slidably disposed withinsaid slot for longitudinal movement therealong, and said meansadjustably connecting said bracket to said deck including arm meansextending laterally with respect to said slots and connecting with saidslider means and providing for guided lateral movement of said bracketto one of the two positions to couple the bracket couple means with oneof the positioning units.
 5. The invention in accordance with claim 4,said slider means including a pair of longitudinally spaced guidedmembers slidably disposed in said slots, said arm means including a pairof longitudinally spaced guide members transversely slidably andadjustably connected to said bracket, a longitudinally extending memberconnecting said spaced gUide members, and means on opposite ends of saidlongitudinally extending member connected to said spaced guided members.6. In a railroad car having a flat deck for supporting containersthereon including a container support arrangement comprising:longitudinally extending guideways adjacent each side of the deck, saiddeck having a plurality of longitudinally spaced apertures incommunication with each of said guideways, a plurality of containerbrackets carried by said deck for supporting a container on the floor ofa vehicle, each container bracket comprising: thereof for carrying thebracket slidingly longitudinally of the floor, and means adjustablyconnecting said connector element to said bracket whereby the bracketlug means may be moved selectively to one of the plurality of laterallyspaced positions on a vehicle floor.
 7. The invention in accordance withclaim 6, said connector element comprising an arm slidably carried onsaid bracket, and said adjustable means comprising a latch elementcarried by said bracket and movable into and out of latching relationrelative to said arm.
 8. A railway car having a flat deck for supportingcontainers thereon including a container support arrangement comprising:longitudinally extending guideways adjacent each side of said deck, saiddeck having a plurality of longitudinally spaced apertures incommunication with each of said guideways, a plurality of containerbrackets carried by said deck, each container bracket having a verticaltransverse wall and a vertical longitudinally extending wall providing aseat for supporting the corner of a container, movable means movablyconnecting said container brackets to said guideways for movement to aplurality of longitudinally spaced erect operative positions, saidmovable means providing for movement of said bracket about alongitudinal axis into said aperture in a stored nonoperative positionwhereby one of said walls is disposed horizontally to provide acontinuation of said deck, a plurality of positioning means on said deckdisposed in relative longitudinally spaced relation on said deckadjacent said guideways, each positioning means including at least twolaterally spaced positioning units, couple means on each containerbracket releasably engageable with one of said positioning units inproviding one of two positions for the bracket, adjustable meansadjustably connecting each of said brackets to said deck relative tosaid guideways for lateral movement of each bracket to one of twopositions to couple the bracket couple means with one of the positioningunits to accommodate the support by said brackets of containers ofvarious widths on said deck, the adjustable means connecting with themovable means and cooperating with the movable means in providing for apivotal movement of the bracket about the longitudinal axis betweenstored and unstored positions of the bracket.
 9. The invention inaccordance with claim 8, said positioning means including openings inthe deck which openings are laterally spaced from each other andcooperating with the couple means to adjust the lateral position of thecontainer.